Page 5 of Valley

“Yeah, the tips were great,” I replied, masking the truth with practiced ease. Dad believed I worked as a waitress for my second job, a lie I maintained to protect him. The truth—that I danced at a strip club to make ends meet—would break his heart. He had sacrificed so much for me, and I couldn’t bear to see disappointment in his eyes. “Was Ellie good?”

“Of course she was,” he chuckled, pouring himself a glass of water. “Ellie is my little angel.”

“And you wouldn’t lie now, would you?” I teased him, a smile playing on my lips. Dad adored Ellie, and I was grateful every day for the bond they shared. She gave him a reason to get up in the morning, a purpose that I knew had been difficult for him to find after losing so much.

I still remembered the fear that gripped me when I told him I was pregnant, alone, and dumped. I had expected anger or disappointment, but instead, he had held me as I cried, promising me that we’d be fine, that we’d get through it together. He had been my rock, and I vowed to be the same for him.

It hadn’t always been easy, but we managed, and we loved each other deeply.

“I better get to bed. Your appointment is early,” I reminded him, breaking the silence that had settled between us. “I filled the van up with gas today, so we won’t need to stop.” The van, specially equipped and donated by a wounded veterans’ group,was a lifeline for us, allowing Dad to have some semblance of independence.

He patted my back as I leaned in to kiss his cheek. “Get on to bed. I’ll be ready.”

And he would be. I knew I’d wake up to the smell of breakfast already being made, Ellie perched in her highchair, giggling as Dad told her stories of faraway lands and brave soldiers. “Love you, Dad,” I called over my shoulder, a gentle smile tugging at my lips as I headed down the hall, the exhaustion finally catching up to me.

Once in my room, I changed into my nightgown, the soft fabric brushing against my skin, bringing a small comfort after such a long day. My eyes drifted to the top of my dresser, where a collection of music boxes stood proudly, each one a tiny treasure of my childhood. They weren’t just trinkets—they were pieces of my heart, each one holding a memory, a moment in time when the world seemed full of magic and possibility.

I reached for a vintage gold one, its surface adorned with rainbow-colored butterflies, their delicate wings frozen in a moment of flight. As I opened the lid, the familiar strains of classical music filled the room, and I watched the tiny ballerina begin her graceful twirl. There was something mesmerizing about the way she moved, so perfectly poised, yet always confined to the same small circle.

The music washed over me, bringing with it a flood of emotions—hope, longing, a bittersweet nostalgia for dreams that felt both near and impossibly distant. I closed the box gently, as if to preserve those delicate feelings, and placed it back on the dresser with care.

Sighing, I collapsed into bed, the weight of the day settling over me like a heavy curtain. But as I closed my eyes, it wasn’t just exhaustion that lingered—it was the weight of dreams still unfulfilled, of a future with a man who truly loved me, a futurethat always seemed just out of reach, like the delicate music of my cherished boxes—beautiful, but fleeting, and always just a touch beyond my grasp.

CHAPTER FOUR

Chapter Three

IT HAD BEENover a year since I worked Twisted Heat,and as I parked my bike in front of the place, memories flooded back. Jonesy was a hard-ass to work for, and I much preferred working under Hillbilly with his laid-back style. The Devil’s Den was a blast; Twisted Heat, not so much. Every goddamned night, it was one asshole after another, stumbling in, getting drunk, and getting handsy and out of line with the women. And when their wives showed up, well, that’s when the real shitshow started.

Exhausting didn’t even begin to cover it.

I walked inside, adjusting to the dimmer lighting and the thumping bass that rattled my bones. As I made my way to theoffice, the smell of the musky fragrance the club piped through the vents hit my nose. “Knock, knock,” I called out at the open door. Snipe glanced up from behind the desk and waved me in. “Reporting for duty.”

“Nothing’s changed, so no need to go over everything,” Snipe said, leaning back in his chair, looking worn out already. “Margie’s still in charge of the women, and you and Sean will watch the floor.”

“No need for my bartending skills?” I joked, mimicking a cocktail shake.

“Nope, we’ve got Val, Cherry and Mandy trading off, dancing and serving drinks,” he laughed. “Jonesy made sure everything was covered before Sarah dragged him out of here. Brother has some serious control issues.”

“He’s Sarah’s problem now,” I chuckled, turning to leave. “I better go talk to Margie really quick; she’ll take offense if I don’t.”

“I’ve got some paperwork to finish up, but I’ll be out soon,” Snipe said, already buried in his files.

Back in the heart of the club, I found Margie leaning on the bar, her eagle eyes scanning the room. “Well, look what the cat dragged in,” she greeted me with a smile. “Heard you were coming back.”

I kissed her cheek, knowing it would make her blush, and sure enough, she slapped my chest. “Don’t you dare try anything with me. I’m a married woman,” she fake-chastised me.

“You can take a shot at me. I’m very single,” the bartender said, leaning over the bar and touching my hair before straightening, adjusting her pasties to draw my eye. Short brown hair, oversized tits on a paper-thin body, and lips so fucking big they looked painful. In short, not my type.

“Get back to work, Val,” Margie scolded her. “You know the rules.”

“You can be such a downer sometimes, Margie,” Val replied, giving me a wink. “I’m available after my shift. No rules against that.” She sauntered away, her hips swaying provocatively.

“Watch out for that one, hear me?” Margie warned. “But Mandy’s okay, sweet girl.”

“Don’t worry, I don’t plan on mixing work with pleasure; that’s a headache I don’t need,” I assured her. “I better start making rounds. Let me know if you need anything.”

“You know I will,” she chuckled.

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